Profiles of Promise: Students With Learning Difference Prepare For Optimal Foreign Language Learning

<p>Many secondary school counselors discourage students with diagnosed native language deficits from foreign language studies. They hold the unsubstantiated belief that these studies would jeopardize their hard-earned gains in native language learning. Research disproves that position, and some writers advocate foreign language study to improve language learning and enhance cognitive strategies. Improvement occurs more readily when the instructor has the expertise to choose from a repertoire of teaching styles the one most compatible with the learning style of the student. With the full inclusion promised by the regular education initiative becoming a reality, this study explores research, design, and team-teaching a language enrichment course to prepare these “at-risk” students for optimal foreign language learning.</p> <p>This qualitative study records interprets and analyzes the impact of the language enrichment course, known as HOLA!, on two selected students. The students' academic histories were reviewed, and their class experiences were recorded. Student progress was assessed after the course. Students were interviewed as were their parents and their teachers regarding their attitudes toward the program. Student self-images, their awareness of their learning styles, and what they learned about the study of language were assessed. Analysis indicates that students did benefit from HOLA! in different ways, but the benefits in common were two-fold: an awareness of the strategies needed to succeed in the foreign language class and the recognition of their need to be self-advocates in pursuit of optimal learning. Judging by their excellent grade reports, these abilities transferred to other courses.</p>

Name thesis:degree_name

Ed.D. Doctor of Education

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation - Public Access

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Educational Leadership

Year dc:date.available

1994

Author dc:creator

• Coven, Ludmilla

Contributors dc:contributor

• Robert Harth
• Gretta Roland
• William Pink

• HOLA!
• Language Enrichment
• Cognitive Strategies
• Optimal Learning
• Modern Language Aptitude Test
• Learning Style
• Bilingual, Multilingual, and Multicultural Education
• Curriculum and Instruction
• Disability and Equity in Education
• Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research
• Educational Methods
• Language and Literacy Education
• Special Education and Teaching

Repository record dc:identifier

https://digitalcommons.nl.edu/diss/584

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:digitalcommons.nl.edu:diss-1625